You know how it is when you’re months away from publication –
a launch party seems like a must-have accessory for your forthcoming book. Good
friends and acquaintances, glasses pleasingly filled with Prosecco, gathered
around welcoming your book to the world. Depending on the kind of author you
are, there could be laughter or there could be a lot of intense discussion
around the existential themes of your work. I suppose there could be both. Your
editor talks at length about your brilliance without so much as a hint of irony
or gritted teeth. In an ideal world, a semi-clothed Ryan Gosling would burst from
a cake and serenade you (but that might just be me). And everyone will buy a
book, which you’ll sign with a carefree flourish and not a trace of cramp.
Time passes and suddenly it’s the week before your book
comes out. You’re in a tailspin trying to get everything done and belatedly, it
occurs to you that you need to book a party venue and possibly order some
drinks. An avalanche of anxiety tumbles down from Mount Paranoia – how much
wine do you need? Is twelve bottles enough? What if no-one comes? And does it
matter if they do? What do launch parties actually do? WHY ARE YOU EVEN
BOTHERING?
Tomorrow is the day of my launch party for Completely Cassidy:
Accidental Genius. It’s a book that has taken a long time to arrive, for one
reason or another, so I wanted to celebrate the fact that it had made it into
being – an actual book that I can hold in my hands and stroke. Hence the party.
To be honest, I don’t think there was any chance that I wouldn’t have a party.
I don’t expect it to sell oodles of books (although a few would be nice). I don’t
expect it to make the society pages (or any pages, really, unless someone
kindly blogs about it). What I do expect is to laugh and catch up with people I
don’t see very often and wear an Elvis wig while drinking a sherbert cocktail.
I want to take a few hours to contemplate the fact that my publisher and my
agent and I did a good thing – we made a book that readers will enjoy.
There are arguments for and against launch parties but I
think if you decide to have one, then do it for the right reasons – to celebrate
getting your book out there. Then if anything else comes out of it, it'll be the icing on the Ryan Gosling cake.
NB To anyone coming to my launch party, I have booked a venue and there will be drink. Honestly.
6 comments:
Awwwww, this was hilarious (and so true). We would love to come to your launch party but we live eleventhymillion miles away and have a childminder who insists on being paid by the hour (outrageous, I know). Hope you have a marvellous time, and please remember to share photos after the event.
Absolutely! Let's be honest, we spend a lot of time behind a desk talking to people through facebook ANY excise for a party is excellent - book launches more than most! x
Once when I was dithering about whether to have a launch party, my sister pointed out that lots of things happen that aren't great, so when something really good happens, why wouldn't you celebrate it? And having a book published is so much more than just good - so ENJOY your launch!
I'll drink to that!
Have a great time! The long work of turning an idea into a book should be celebrated, even if it's not easy coming out of your shell. (Enjoy the Elvis wig!)
Gutted I can't make it (esp now I know about the Elvis wig) but have a fantastic time toasting Cassidy! I foresee great things for that young lady... ;)
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